The Origin of Ring Around the Rosy

Many people think Ring Around the Rosie is just a happy nursery rhyme that children sing and fall giggling on the ground. What people don't know is that it actually has an English meaning (or origin).

The song's words relates to the Black Death. The historical time period dates back all the way back to the Great Plague of London (1665) or maybe even before then when the first Plague outbreak in England (1300's).

The Word Origins

Ring Around the Rosy: One of the symptoms of the Plague was getting red, rosy rash in the shape of a ring on your skin.
Pocket Full of Posy: People filled their pockets with sweet smelling herbs (or posies). They did this because they believed the disease was spread by bad smells.
Ashes, Ashes: This term refers to the people with the Plague and how they were slowy dying. It can also mean the cremation of the dead bodies. In the new English version, we replace 'Ashes, Ashes' with things like 'Husha, Husha'.
We All Fall Down: The last line in this rhyme refers to how the people with the Plague died. Falling down as in dying.

I just this was kind of interesting when I first heard it. Thanks for reading!

-Lauren